Please encourage investment

I would like to thank Anuj Khanal for responding to my call for investment (TKP,
December 22, 1999). It is a very positive sign that you are committed to the cause of the nation . We have been able to restore democracy in the country after a long struggle, which we pursued with the conviction that no development could be attained without a democratic form of government.

We are now moving ahead to bring about economic revolution, "endogenising" market-oriented policies for smooth implementation. Obviously, all development requirements cannot be met at one stroke. But, if we have a high degree of commitment and the necessary will power, we can create an envionment conducive to development. Compared to many other developing countries, we are not lagging behind in terms of legislation and other policy instruments.

We are also willing to undertake further measures, if neessary. I would therefore like to request Anuj Khanal and others to whole heartedly encourage your friends --Nepalese or foreigners -- to invest in Nepal.

Ram Krishna Tamrakar,
Minister for Commerce, Nepal

Control the damage

This refers to commentary titiled "A sad commentry on media " published on December
27, 1999, TKP. I would like to point out the glaring indifference shown by Nepal Television (NTV) and the government’s public realtions machinery .

NTV continued showing a stupid Hindi film while ministers issued contradicting remarks while the world media disgraced Nepal’s image throughout the week after the event. With this incident, the entire future of a vital component of the country’s economy is at stake and yet the government machinery is too slow to react against the Indian media assault on the country’s prestige. The spokeperson of Royal Nepalese Emabassy was hardly featured on any of the TV channels. Thus it was obvious that there was no public relations contingency plan. Reporting on the issue is so immature that some of the channels and their so called analysts are making Kathamndu look like a "haven for Islamic terrorists". In an era, when public mood and agendas are dictated by Television programming and features on dailies and periodicals, the government should immediately set up a damage control mechanism. The government must ensure that the facts are relayed straight to the tourism markets that Nepal is a country inhabited by probably the friendliest people on earth and that it has awesome natural beauty.

If the Indian media propaganda is prolonged through the next summer, it is estimated that there will be a decline of at least 70 percent in the tourism industry which in turn will surely affect national economy.

Sunim T Tamang,
Tahachal, Kathamndu